Academic Appointments


Administrative Appointments


  • Board of Directors, Global Compassion Coalition (2022 - Present)
  • Board of Directors, Chairman & CEO, Accuray, Inc. (manufacturer of the CyberKnife) (1997 - 1999)
  • Advisory Board, HealthCubed, Inc. (2016 - Present)
  • Board of Directors, California Association of Neurological Surgeons (1996 - 1999)
  • Board of Directors, Chairman (2009-2010), Dalai Lama Foundation (2007 - 2016)
  • International Board of Advisors, Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions (2009 - Present)
  • Advisory Board, Heroic Imagination Project (2009 - Present)
  • Board of Directors Vice-Chairman, Friends of New Orleans (2008 - 2015)
  • Board of Governors, Tulane University School of Medicine (2007 - Present)
  • Advisory Board, The Fogarty Institute of Innovation (2007 - Present)
  • Board of Directors, The Brain and Creativity Institute at USC (2008 - 2011)
  • Founder & Director, The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford (2008 - Present)
  • Director, The Neuroscience Institute at El Camino Hospital (2008 - Present)
  • Advisory Board, Social Chocolate SuperBetter (2011 - 2014)
  • Board of Directors, Association for Medical Ethics (2012 - 2015)
  • Advisory Board, Greater Good Science Center (2012 - Present)

Honors & Awards


  • "Best Doctor", America's Best Doctors (2005-2018)
  • America's Top Surgeons, Consumer's Research Council of America (2005-2018)
  • "Healthcare Hero", New Orleans CityBusiness Journal (2008)
  • Member (Outstanding Alumnus-Tulane University), The Paul Tulane Society (2008)
  • Member, Founder's Circle Stanford University (2009)

Professional Education


  • M.D., Tulane University, Medicine (1981)
  • B.S., University of California, Irvine, Biological Sciences (1978)

Patents


  • James R. Doty. "United States Patent 4,936,306 Device and Method for Monitoring Evoked Potentials and Electroencehpalograms", Neurotechnics, Inc., Jun 26, 1990
  • James R. Doty. "United States Patent 4,599,086 Spine Stabilization Device and Method", Unassigned, Jul 8, 1986

Current Research and Scholarly Interests


My interest for many years has focused on neuro-oncology (brain tumors) and utilizing both surgery and stereotactically focused radiation to treat solid tumors of the nervous system primarily utilizing the CyberKnife.

In addition, I am an expert in complex and minimally invasive spine surgery.

More recently, my interests revolve around understanding the neural, social and mental bases of compassion and altruism using a multi-disciplinary approach.

2023-24 Courses


All Publications


  • Unlocking Performance Excellence: Review of Evidence-Based Mindful Meditation. Plastic and reconstructive surgery Safran, T., Vorstenbosch, J., Doty, J. R., Davison, P. 2022

    Abstract

    Mindfulness has recently been implemented by advanced military combatants, firefighters, as well as other very intellectually demanding and fast-paced professions. A surgeon, similarly, is faced with many difficult challenges. Whether it be a complex and meticulous surgery, extensive clinical responsibilities, or simply the challenges faced in residency. However, in our current curriculums, we are not trained to introspectively deal with these stressors. Regardless of what we face in our personal lives, the lives of patients are literately in our hands. Would it not be prudent and wise, to train our brain to not only deliver care to our patients but to be able to take care of ourselves and maybe even improve our performance? Regular practice of mindfulness has been shown to decrease rates of burnout, decrease medical errors, improve sleep, and even improve surgical performance. With the ever-changing pandemic situation and increasing stressors in the hospital, mindful meditation is perfectly primed to be added to our armamentarium as surgeons and physicians. This review aims to explain how mindfulness can enhance a surgeon's performance, mindset, interactions and execution through a review of recent scientific advancements and evidence.

    View details for DOI 10.1097/PRS.0000000000009500

    View details for PubMedID 35939647

  • Compassion and self-compassion motivation and action levels in a high-performance soccer youth academy INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPORT AND EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGY Beavan, A., Spielmann, J., Johns, P., Doty, J., Mayer, J. 2022
  • Positive and negative attitudes towards compassion predict compassionate outcomes CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY Kirby, J. N., Seppala, E., Wilks, M., Cameron, C., Tellegen, C. L., Nguyen, D. H., Misra, S., Simon-Thomas, E., Feinberg, M., Martin, D., Doty, J. 2021; 40 (10): 4884-4894
  • The Compassion Motivation and Action Scales: a self-report measure of compassionate and self-compassionate behaviours AUSTRALIAN PSYCHOLOGIST Steindl, S. R., Tellegen, C. L., Filus, A., Seppala, E., Doty, J. R., Kirby, J. N. 2021
  • Does Self-Reassurance Reduce Neural and Self-Report Reactivity to Negative Life Events? Frontiers in psychology Kim, J. J., Doty, J. R., Cunnington, R., Kirby, J. N. 2021; 12: 658118

    Abstract

    Whilst research has shown how self-criticism may increase both neural and self-report markers of negative emotion, less well-known is how self-reassurance-a compassionately-motivated cognitive self-relating style-may regulate negative emotion. Using fMRI, we invited participants to engage in self-criticism and self-reassurance toward written descriptions of negative life events (mistakes, setbacks, failures). Our results identify that neural markers of negative emotion and self-report markers of trial intensity during fMRI are down-regulated under conditions of self-reassurance, relative to self-criticism. Future work to control for autobiographical memory during this fMRI task is needed, as are controls for how well participants can engage in both thinking styles, to explore how memory/task engagement can contribute to self-reassurance and self-criticism. Engagement in self-reassurance can reduce the "sting" of negative life-events, both neural and self-report, which holds important implications for therapy.

    View details for DOI 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.658118

    View details for PubMedID 34650466

  • Compassion-Focused Technologies: Reflections and Future Directions. Frontiers in psychology Day, J., Finkelstein, J. C., Field, B. A., Matthews, B., Kirby, J. N., Doty, J. R. 2021; 12: 603618

    Abstract

    Compassion is a prosocial motivation that is critical to the development and survival of the human species. Cultivating compassion involves developing deep wisdom, insight, and understanding into the nature and causes of human suffering; and wisdom and commitment to take positive action to alleviate suffering. This perspective piece discusses how compassion relates to the context of modern technology, which has developed at a rapid pace in recent decades. While advances in digital technology build on humankind's vast capacity to develop practical tools that promise to enrich our lives and improve our social connections, in reality the effects are often far from benign. The motives underlying the development of many contemporary digital platforms seem rooted in competitiveness and capitalism; while modern social media and online platforms are having a profound and pervasive impact on the mental health and wellbeing of humans around the globe. Nonetheless, digital technology holds considerable potential to promote compassionate insight, wisdom, and prosocial behavior. We reflect on the current state of technology within human society and examine the notion of compassionate technologies; discuss how contemporary paradigm shifts such as the inclusive design movement may be harnessed to build tools and platforms that promote collective good and increase prosocial behavior; and highlight examples of initiatives that are harnessing modern technology to advance democracy, collective knowledge, and personal freedoms and agency.

    View details for DOI 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.603618

    View details for PubMedID 34054636

  • Neurophysiological and behavioural markers of compassion. Scientific reports Kim, J. J., Parker, S. L., Doty, J. R., Cunnington, R., Gilbert, P., Kirby, J. N. 2020; 10 (1): 6789

    Abstract

    The scientific study of compassion is burgeoning, however the putative neurophysiological markers of programs which actively train distress tolerance, such as Compassionate Mind Training (CMT), are less well known. Herein we offer an integrative, multi-method approach which investigated CMT at neural, physiological, self-report, and behavioural levels. Specifically, this study first assessed participants' neural responses when confronted with disappointments (e.g., rejection, failure) using two fundamental self-regulatory styles, self-criticism and self-reassurance. Second, participant's heart-rate variability (HRV) - a marker of parasympathetic nervous system response - was assessed during compassion training, pre- and post- a two-week self-directed engagement period. We identified neural networks associated with threat are reduced when practicing compassion, and heightened when being self-critical. In addition, cultivating compassion was associated with increased parasympathetic response as measured by an increase in HRV, versus the resting-state. Critically, cultivating compassion was able to shift a subset of clinically-at risk participants to one of increased parasympathetic response. Further, those who began the trial with lower resting HRV also engaged more in the intervention, possibly as they derived more benefits, both self-report and physiologically, from engagement in compassion.

    View details for DOI 10.1038/s41598-020-63846-3

    View details for PubMedID 32322008

  • Altering the Trajectory of Affect and Affect Regulation: the Impact of Compassion Training MINDFULNESS Jazaieri, H., McGonigal, K., Lee, I. A., Jinpa, T., Doty, J. R., Gross, J. J., Goldin, P. R. 2018; 9 (1): 283–93
  • HUMAN BEHAVIOUR A kinder kind of science NATURE Powell, K., Steeves, T., Ataria, J., Doty, J., Colquhoun, D., Bernhardt, E., Galla, S., Mogessie, B. 2018; 553 (7688): 367-369
  • The Current and Future Role of Heart Rate Variability for Assessing and Training Compassion. Frontiers in public health Kirby, J. N., Doty, J. R., Petrocchi, N., Gilbert, P. 2017; 5: 40-?

    Abstract

    The evolution of mammalian caregiving involving hormones, such as oxytocin, vasopressin, and the myelinated vagal nerve as part of the ventral parasympathetic system, enables humans to connect, co-regulate each other's emotions and create prosociality. Compassion-based interventions draw upon a number of specific exercises and strategies to stimulate these physiological processes and create conditions of "interpersonal safeness," thereby helping people engage with, alleviate, and prevent suffering. Hence, compassion-based approaches are connected with our evolved caring motivation and attachment and our general affiliative systems that help regulate distress. Physiologically, they are connected to activity of the vagus nerve and corresponding adaptive heart rate variability (HRV). HRV is an important physiological marker for overall health, and the body-mind connection. Therefore, there is significant value of training compassion to increase HRV and training HRV to facilitate compassion. Despite the significance of compassion in alleviating and preventing suffering, there remain difficulties in its precise assessment. HRV offers a useful form of measurement to assess and train compassion. Specific examples of what exercises can facilitate HRV and how to measure HRV will be described. This paper argues that the field of compassion science needs to move toward including HRV as a primary outcome measure in its future assessment and training, due to its connection to vagal regulatory activity, and its link to overall health and well-being.

    View details for DOI 10.3389/fpubh.2017.00040

    View details for PubMedID 28337432

  • A wandering mind is a less caring mind: Daily experience sampling during compassion meditation training JOURNAL OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY Jazaieri, H., Lee, I. A., McGonigal, K., Jinpa, T., Doty, J. R., Gross, J. J., Goldin, P. R. 2016; 11 (1): 37-50
  • Multiple Facets of Compassion: The Impact of Social Dominance Orientation and Economic Systems Justification JOURNAL OF BUSINESS ETHICS Martin, D., Seppala, E., Heineberg, Y., Rossomando, T., Doty, J., Zimbardo, P., Shiue, T., Berger, R., Zhou, Y. 2015; 129 (1): 237-249
  • A randomized controlled trial of compassion cultivation training: Effects on mindfulness, affect, and emotion regulation MOTIVATION AND EMOTION Jazaieri, H., McGonigal, K., Jinpa, T., Doty, J. R., Gross, J. J., Goldin, P. R. 2014; 38 (1): 23-35
  • Pilot study of a compassion meditation intervention in chronic pain. Journal of compassionate health care Chapin, H. L., Darnall, B. D., Seppala, E. M., Doty, J. R., Hah, J. M., Mackey, S. C. 2014; 1

    Abstract

    The emergence of anger as an important predictor of chronic pain outcomes suggests that treatments that target anger may be particularly useful within the context of chronic pain. Eastern traditions prescribe compassion cultivation to treat persistent anger. Compassion cultivation has been shown to influence emotional processing and reduce negativity bias in the contexts of emotional and physical discomfort, thus suggesting it may be beneficial as a dual treatment for pain and anger. Our objective was to conduct a pilot study of a 9-week group compassion cultivation intervention in chronic pain to examine its effect on pain severity, anger, pain acceptance and pain-related interference. We also aimed to describe observer ratings provided by patients' significant others and secondary effects of the intervention.Pilot clinical trial with repeated measures design that included a within-subjects wait-list control period. Twelve chronic pain patients completed the intervention (F= 10). Data were collected from patients at enrollment, treatment baseline and post-treatment; participant significant others contributed data at the enrollment and post-treatment time points.In this predominantly female sample, patients had significantly reduced pain severity and anger and increased pain acceptance at post-treatment compared to treatment baseline. Significant other qualitative data corroborated patient reports for reductions in pain severity and anger.Compassion meditation may be a useful adjunctive treatment for reducing pain severity and anger, and for increasing chronic pain acceptance. Patient reported reductions in anger were corroborated by their significant others. The significant other corroborations offer a novel contribution to the literature and highlight the observable emotional and behavioral changes in the patient participants that occurred following the compassion intervention. Future studies may further examine how anger reductions impact relationships with self and others within the context of chronic pain.

    View details for PubMedID 27499883

  • Enhancing Compassion: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Compassion Cultivation Training Program JOURNAL OF HAPPINESS STUDIES Jazaieri, H., Jinpa, G. T., McGonigal, K., Rosenberg, E. L., Finkelstein, J., Simon-Thomas, E., Cullen, M., Doty, J. R., Gross, J. J., Goldin, P. R. 2013; 14 (4): 1113-1126
  • Social Connection and Compassion: Important Predictors of Health and Well-Being SOCIAL RESEARCH Seppala, E., Rossomando, T., Doty, J. R. 2013; 80 (2): 411-430
  • Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis from prostate carcinoma: a case report. Journal of medical case reports Lieberson, R. E., Veeravagu, A., Eckermann, J. M., Doty, J. R., Jiang, B., Andrews, R., Chang, S. D. 2012; 6 (1): 139-?

    Abstract

    Although vertebral and epidural metastases are common, intradural metastases and intramedullary spinal cord metastases are rare. The indications for the treatment of intramedullary spinal cord metastases remain controversial. We present the first biopsy-proven case of an intramedullary spinal cord metastasis from adenocarcinoma of the prostate.Our patient was a 68-year-old right-handed Caucasian man with a Gleason grade 4 + 3 prostate adenocarcinoma who had previously undergone a prostatectomy, androgen blockade and transurethral debulking. He presented with new-onset saddle anesthesia and fecal incontinence. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a spindle-shaped intramedullary lesion of the conus medullaris. Our patient underwent decompression and an excisional biopsy; the lesion's pathology was consistent with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Postoperatively, our patient received CyberKnife® radiosurgery to the resection cavity at a marginal dose of 27Gy to the 85% isodose line. At three months follow-up, our patient remains neurologically stable with no new deficits or lesions.We review the literature and discuss the indications for surgery and radiosurgery for intramedullary spinal cord metastases. We also report the novel use of stereotactic radiosurgery to sterilize the resection cavity following an excisional biopsy of the metastasis.

    View details for DOI 10.1186/1752-1947-6-139

    View details for PubMedID 22657386

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC3419088

  • Treatment of cavernous sinus tumors with linear accelerator radiosurgery SKULL BASE SURGERY Chang, S. D., Doty, J. R., Martin, D. P., Hancock, S. L., Adler, J. R. 1999; 9 (3): 195-199

    Abstract

    Since 1989, 79 patients with benign or malignant cavernous sinus tumors, have been treated at Stanford University with linear accelerator (linac) radiosurgery. Radiosurgery has been used as (1) a planned second-stage procedure for residual tumor following surgery, (2) primary treatment for patients whose medical conditions preclude surgery, (3) palliation of malignant lesions, and (4) definitive treatment for small, well-localized, poorly accessible tumors. Mean patient age was 52 years (range, 18 to 88); there were 28 males and 51 females. Sixty-one patients had benign tumors; 18 had malignant tumors. Mean tumor volume was 6.8 cm(3) (range 0.5 to 22.5 cm(3)) covered with an average of 2.3 isocenter (range, 1 to 5). Radiation dose averaged 17.1 Gy. Mean follow-up was 46 months. Tumor control or shrinkage, or both, varied with pathology. Radiographic tumor improvement was most pronounced in malignant lesions, with greater than 85% showing reduction in tumor size; benign tumors (meningiomas and schwannomas) had a 63% control rate and 37% shrinkage rate, with none enlarging. We concluded that stereotactic radiosurgery is a valuable tool in managing cavernous sinus tumors. There was excellent control and stabilization of benign tumors and palliation of malignant lesions.

    View details for Web of Science ID 000083016700004

    View details for PubMedID 17171089

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC1656740

  • Clinical experience with image-guided robotic radiosurgery (the Cyberknife) in the treatment of brain and spinal cord tumors NEUROLOGIA MEDICO-CHIRURGICA Chang, S. D., Murphy, M., Geis, P., Martin, D. P., Hancock, S. L., Doty, J. R., Adler, J. R. 1998; 38 (11): 780-783

    Abstract

    The Cyberknife is an image-guided "frameless" dedicated radiosurgical device. This instrument has several distinct advantages over frame-based systems, including improved patient comfort, increased treatment degrees of freedom, and the potential to target extracranial lesions. Clinical results thus far with respect to the treatment of malignant intracranial tumors has been promising. Additionally, the Cyberknife will likely revolutionize the application of radiosurgery to extracranial sites. A description of the components, treatment planning, and clinical results of the Cyberknife will be reviewed.

    View details for Web of Science ID 000077103400031

    View details for PubMedID 9919913